Simon Jenkins misrepresents both the purpose and the likely effects of extending parking controls in the City of Westminster. In his article (Coalition hypocrisy lurks behind this war on motorists, 16 November), he accuses the council of "greed, hypocrisy and fiscal distortion"– but this does not stack up. Any rational observer would, and should, be amazed if the elected representatives of this city did not attempt to manage traffic, congestion and the quality of life. Regulating parking and charging for scarce kerb space is one method, as is encouraging the use of the off-street car parks that are often empty in the evenings. It is our job to find the proper balance.

Jenkins refers to London being the gilded city. Indeed it is, operating 24 hours a day. Westminster welcomes, and cleans up after, a million visitors a day. Managing it is the council's job, on behalf of all those who live, work and play here.

Jenkins says people who work unsociable hours will be adversely affected and that this policy is a "route to collapse" for businesses, yet there is an off-street car park within a five-minute walk of every casino in the West End and the most recent Transport for London statistics show that buses, including at night, are seeing the lowest crime rates for seven years – nine crimes per one million journeys.

Our decisions are based on studies by top traffic experts – not howmuch we want to fill the council's pockets, as suggested by Jenkins when he writes that the council "has raised more from parking on its streets than it has from council tax". On the basis of evidence, we consult and listen and adjust, based on what we learn. The objective is reducing congestion, providing space for those who need it, and helping the city work better for the benefit of all. We do not do this on a whim. We do not expect thanks. Nor, certainly, popularity. We promise to adjust the scheme if we see clear damage to the city and the interests of those who come here.

However, we do deserve to be respected for our good intentions, and to demean the professional work we do to manage the city as being driven by "the temptation to raise ever more money" is unworthy of such a distinguished commentator.

We hope that extending the hours of parking control in part of the West End will continue to improve the environment, manage traffic and ensure parking spaces are available to visitors in the future. Approximately 80% of visitors to the West End use public transport at night, rising to more than 90% in the daytime, and we will be campaigning for further improvements in public transport, including later-running tube trains, rolling out more cycle hire stations and improving our public realm.

Jenkins says we are a "parking corporation … with a local council attached". But we have no shareholders. If drivers uses our pay-by-phone system, they can rest easy in the knowledge that the money will be used to improve the city they are visiting, like Jenkins, or living in, like myself, for the benefit of all.